Clothes-line apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet '1.

(No Model.)

J. E. KELLOGG, CLOTHES LINE APPARATUS.

m/vsuron: 5. 5%

ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. E. KELLOGGI CLOTHES LINE APPARATUS. 7

No. 439,957. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

Tag. 6

A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. KELLOGG, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.

CLOTH ES-LINE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,957, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed May 1 0, 1890. Serial No. 351,237. (No model.) v

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN E. KELLOGG, of Council Bluifs, in the county of Pottawattamic and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and Improved Clothes -Line Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to pulley-line apparatus adapted for hanging clothes in the open air for drying or airing them; and the invention has for its object to provide a simple,

comparatively inexpensive, and eflicient apparatus of this character, arranged relatively with a wash-house or structure to allow a person to operate the line without exposure to rain, snow, or wind storms, and also to make the clothes-line self-tightening by the weight of the clothes or fabrics on it.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts of the clothes-line apparatus, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved clothes-line apparatus as arranged to conduct the endless line through a doorway into'and out of one opening of a wash-house or other building. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the pulley-fixture sustaining the line from the wall of the wash-house. Fig. 3 isa plan view of a modification illustratinghow the endless line may be arranged to travel at one side entirely through a wash-house or sheltering structure. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional side View of the upper end of one of the ground-posts and its pulley-arm, which sustains the traveling line. Fig. 5 is adetail vertical section taken on the line m w in Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a detail View at theinner face of the door and easing of the wash-house, and shows how the clothes-line when not in use is sustained by a hook-hanger to allow free operation of the door.

The arrangement of the clothes-line apparatus shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings is perhaps preferable over the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, in that but one opening is made in the wash-house or structure A, which thus forms a more complete shelter from sun and wind and storms to the person operating the line in hanging out or taking in the clothes than would the house or structure A shown in Fig. 3, which has two opposite doors or openings, through which one side of the clothes-line passes. -In the apparatus shown inFig. 1 are used a series of ground-posts B and a hangerpulley device 0, the latter being held to the wall of the wash-house, while in the arrangement of apparatus shown in Fig. 3 a series of posts B only are employed.

I will particularly describe the invention with special reference, first, to Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 of the drawings, as follows: The posts B, which sustain the line D, onto which the clothes to be dried or aired are hung, are made alike and with a main upright portion 1), which may be steadied by suitable braces 22, both posts and braces being preferably set into the ground. To the top of the post is connected an arm E, which is preferably pivoted at its inner end to the cross-headf of a galvanized-metal T-shaped coupling F, the long vertical part or stem f of which enters loosely a hole 19 in the top of the post. A lateral hole or perforation 17 extends from the hole 12 through the side of the post to drain the hole 12 of water and dust and prevent the coupling F freezing fast or clogging in said hole. I prefer to connect the arm E to the cross-headf of the metal coupling by means of two opposite side cleats or cheek-pieces e e, each of which has at its inner face a round recess 6, which does not extend through the cleat, but receives andforms a bearing for one end of the coupling cross-head, which thus is protected from water or dust. This construction allows the entire arm E to turn horizontally on the coupling-stem f and also permits the arm to rock or move up or down onthe coupling cross-- headfas a center of motion.

At the outer end of the arm E is journaled by its vertical pin or axle g a peripherallygrooved pulley or roller G, in the groove of which the clothes-line D runs,and is held from dropping downward 0d the pulley. The pulley-axle 9 passes at one end through the main arm E and into a recess g in a cleat or checkpiece g which is fastened to the upper face of the arm, and the other shorter extremity of the axle passes into a like recess 9' of another cleat 9 which is fastened to a down ward extension a of the end of the arm, which is about as long as the pulley. With this construction the end journals of the pulley are not exposed to the weather and the pulley is not liable to freeze or clog in the arm. (See Fig. i of the drawings.)

The hanger or wall-pulley device 0 (shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings) is made with a line-sustaining pulley G, journaled byits axle in an arm E, like the outer part of the arm E, and is provided with cleats which protect the ends of the pulley-journals from the weather. This arm or body portion or hanger of the pulley device 0 has a vertical hole, which fits loosely, it may be, onto the upturned end h of a screw or bolt hook H, which is turned into the wall a of the wash-house A, directly opposite its door or window opening a, through which the clothesline D travels in and out of the building. A washer h and nut h on the screw-hook allow it to be locked securely against turning in its wall-support.

As above intimated, the pulley or clothesline may enter the building through any suitable side opening,'to be closed either by a door or window sash after operation of the line. lhe drawings show the line passing through the opening a, which may be closed by a door I, hung in any approved manner. An opening cl, large enoughto accommodate the line D,'is made in the door or window casing, and a hook J, pivoted to the casing, is swung down under the line when it is out of use, to'hold it up out of the way and permit the door I (or window it may be) to'be tightly closed and easily operated, aswill be understood from Fig. 6 of the drawings.

In the arrangement of the clothes-line apparatus shown in 'Fig. 3 of the drawings, the line D travels at one side only through two opposite openings k 70 in the'side walls of the house or shelter A, said openings being shown as doorways, at which doors K K are hung, and the casings are provided with hook-detents J J for supporting the line when the doors are closed. In either arrangement of the apparatus the clothes-line is endless, and

is sustained by the grooved pulleys G, on which it runs, so that a part of it is always inclosed in or covered by the wash-house.

It is obvious that any person standing or stationed in either of the buildings A or A will be'protected from the heat of the sun or from chilling winds or rain or other storms while they operate the clothes-line D to put out or take in the clothes. The apparatus thus promotes the good health of the housekeeperor laundress, and is fully as effectual and as easily operated as any other pulley clothes-line.

When the line is emptyor is first put upon the pulleys G of the post-arms E and the pulley G of the wall-hanger device 0, the line will be so tightly stretched over the post-arm pulleys that it will hold the post-arms in about to the posts which sustain the arms. .This

self'tightening action of the post-arms would follow were the arms pivoted only for vertical movement on the post, but by using the couplings F, having bearings f in the posts, which allow the arms to turn freely in'horizontal plane while permitting their vertical play, the posts may be first set up in most convenient positions with the assurance'that the pulley-arms will always come to proper position to have their pulleys draw upon and automatically tighten the line, as above de scribed. In other words, the posts B may be set up without regard to the relative positions of the pulley-arms when the latter have'horizontal as well as vertical play, while if the arms had vertical movement only, the posts would have to be carefully set, so'that the pulley-arms would project in the direction in which the line draws to properly conduct and automatically tighten the clothes-line, as will readily be understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a clothes-line apparatus, the combination, with a wash-house or other structure and a line secured within the same, of posts arranged outside of the house, arms provided with grooved pulleys on the under side of their outer ends, and couplings journaled on the posts and pivotally connected to the inner ends of the said arms, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a clothes-line apparatus, the combination, with a post having a hole I) in its upper part, of a coupling F, having a stem f entering said hole loosely, and a cross-head f of an arm E, pivoted to the coupling crosshead, and a peripherally-grooved pulley G, journaled to the arm and adapted to sustain and draw on the line, substantially as herein set forth. v v

. JOHN E. KELLOGG.

Witnesses:

FRANK. E. MARsH, MARY E. Moon. 

